Support for draperies and the like



062%. 10 1967 GRABER ET AL 3,345,578

SUPPORT FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l@Ct. 16) 1967 V. GRABER -T AL 3,345,678

SUPPORT FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2United States Patent Ofltice 3,345,678 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 3,345,678SUPPORT FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE Joseph V. Graher and Ferdinand F.Salzmann, Madison, Wis., assignors to Graber Manufacturing Company,Inc., Middleton, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 6, 1965,Ser. No. 477,848 9 Claims. (Cl. 16-94) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Firstand second rod sections each having a rearwardly opening frontpassageway and a rear passageway spaced therefrom. Each section having atop wall with a rear portion disposed below the level of the frontportion and a pair of forwardly facing rails on the top of the rearportion. A splice having a pair of rearwardly facing rails for engagingthe rails on the rod sections and clamping means for holding the rodsections abutted. Bracket means similarly arranged as the splice forengaging the rails and mounting the rod.

This invention relates to improvements in supports for draperies,curtains, tapestries and the like.

For convenience, the improved support of the present invention is hereinsometimes referred to as a drapery support; however, this is done by wayof illustration and it should be understood that the support may be usedwith any type of drapery, curtain, tapestry, or other similar flexiblehanging.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved drapery support,including at least two elongate rod sections, each having a pair ofrails on the top side thereof and a splice member engaged with the railsfor holding the two rod sections aligned and abutted end-toend.

Another object is to provide a drapery support in accordance with theforegoing object and including a front passageway adapted for mountinggenerally contiguous to a ceiling and having rails and a splice memberdisposed behind the front passageway and generally hidden thereby.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved draperysupport including an elongate rod having a pair of rails on the top sidethereof and brackets engaged with the rails for mounting on a supportingsurface.

It is still another object to provide a drapery support in accordancewith the foregoing object in which the brackets are disposed behind thefront passageway and generally hidden thereby.

Other objects are to provide an improved drapery support which isattractive, which has a minimum depth, which may be mounted on either aceiling or a vertical surface, which can be easily installed, and whichcan be readily and economically manufactured.

These, together with other objects and advantages of the invention willbe more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when taken in accordancewith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG, 2 is a sectional view taken generally on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken generally on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, wherein similarreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views. In general, the drapery support includes an elongate rodsection, generally designated by the numeral 10, elongate end rodsections 12 and 14, splice members 16 and 16, and brackets which maytake different forms as will hereinafter be described. Elongate rodsection 10 includes a generally upright front wall or front face 20 anda top wall 22 attached generally at the upper end of the front face, asseen in FIG. 5. In its preferred form, elongate rod section 10 has arearwardly extending bottom wall 24 attached to the lower end of thefront face and an upwardly extending flange 26 attached to the rear endof the bottom wall. Preferably, the top wall 22 has a front portion 23having a width approximating the width of the bottom wall 24 and adownwardly extending flange 27 attached to the rear side thereof. Thefront wall 20, bottom wall 24, front portion 23, and flanges 26 and 27define a front passageway extending generally the full length of rodsection 10. Flanges 26 and 27 have their adjacent edges 26a, 27a spacedapart to provide a rearwardly opening access to the passageway. Top wall22 has a rear portion 28 attached to flange 27 and extending rearwardlytherefrom. Rear portion 28 has a pair of rails 30 and 32 attachedthereto and extending upwardly therefrom. Rail 30 has an upwardlyextending leg 30a and a forwardly extending flange 30b attached adjacentthe upper end of the leg. Similarly, rail 32 has an upwardly extendingleg 32a and a forwardly extending flange 32b.

Elongate end rod sections or members 12 and 14, in the preferredembodiment, have a front wall and top and bottom walls having agenerally equal cross section with the walls of elongate rod section 10and thereby define a front passageway extending generally the fulllength of rod sections 12 and 14. Likewise, rod sections 12 and 14 havea pair of rails attached to the rear portion of their top walls andthese rails have a generally equal cross section with rails 30 and 32 ofelongate rod section 10. Similar parts are, therefore, designated by thesame number followed by the postscript prime as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In the embodiment illustrated, elongate rod section 10 conveniently hasa second passageway disposed behind the above described front passagewayand spaced a distance behind the rearwardly opening slot between flanges26 and 27. As best shown in FIG. 5, the rear passageway of elongate rodsection 10 is defined by a wall 34 depending from the rear portion 28 oftop wall 22, a generally horizontal member 35 extending rearwardly fromthe lower end of wall 34, and rear wall portions 36 and 37 attached torear portion 28 of top wall 22 and horizontal member 35, respectively.Said rear wall portions 36 and 37 have their respective edges 36a and37a spaced apart to define a longitudinal slot extending substantiallythe full length of the elongate rod section 10. In the dual passagewayconstruction illustrated, it is contemplated that a plurality ofcarriers 40 and master carriers 42 and 42' may be carried in the abovedescribed front passageway, as seen in FIG. 1, and slide gates or stops46 may be removably mounted at the ends of the front passageway toretain the carriers in the passageway.

When used as a traverse rod, it is contemplated that draw cords 44 and44' may be carried inside the rear passageway as shown in FIG. 5, andthe longitudinal slot in the rear wall provides a convenient means forinsertion of the cords into the rear passageway. To effectuate use as atraverse rod, elongate end member or rod 12 is shaped to provide apulley housing for cords 44 and 44'. In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, end rod section 12 has a pair of generally paralleldepending walls 50 and 51 which are preferably aligned with walls 34 and36, respectively, to provide a continuation ofthe rear pasageway in rodsection 19. Disposed between walls 50 and 51 are a pair of pulleys 52and 53, as best shown in FIG. 2. It is contemplated that, in some uses,only one pulley may be required and may be disposed inside the rearpassageway of elongate rod section 10 or in a separate end section suchas rod section 12 or 14. End rod section 14 may have a cross sectionsimilar to that of elongate rod section It) or may be an other-handembodiment of end rod section 12. It is also contemplated that the drawcords 44 and 44 may be disposed at the opposite end of the draperysupport, if desired, and in that situation the right hand end sectionwould be a pulley housing similar to that described above for the pulleyhousing of section 12.

For use of the rod as a traverse rod, it is necessary that end rod 12 bemounted adjacent elongate rod 10 with the front passagewayssubstantially aligned and with the pulley housing generally aligned withthe rear passageway of rod 10. For this purpose, the aforedescribedrails 30 and 32 on section 10 are arranged for alignment with rails 30'and 32 on end rod section 12. Splice member 16 is arranged to engagethese rails and hold them in substantial alignment whereby thepassageways are substantially aligned. This is accomplished by a pair ofrail engaging means 56 and 58 on splice 16, as best shown in FIG. 3.Rail engaging means 56 includes a downwardly extending leg 56a and arearwardly extending fiange 56:). Similarly, rail engaging means 58includes leg 58a and flange 5812. A clamping means is mounted in groove63 to hold the rail engaging means engaged to the respective rails and,as shown, includes a clamp 60 and fastener 62. It is contemplated thatone such clamping means may be utilized to clamp the splice onto bothrod sections, however, the embodiment illustrated is conveniently in theform of a separate clamping means for the respective rod sections, suchas 10 and 12, as shown in FIG. 4. It is also contemplated that onefastener may be utilized for the respective rod section, however thesplice is best accomplished by a pair of fasteners on each clamp to morepositively secure the sections abutted end-to-end and in alignment. Theclamping means is of a particularly advantageous construction and, asshown in FIG. 4, has an opening therein, preferably formed with asemicircular portion 64 adjacent groove 63 in the splice and a largeropening portion 66, larger than the head of fastener 62, for passage ofsaid head. It can be seen that the semicircular portion 64 is closelyadjacent the shaft of fastener 62 and the fastener 62 engages a shoulder65 defined by the edge of opening 66 adjacent the semi-circular portion64. In this manner, the clamp 60 may be inserted into groove 63 afterthe fastener is screwed into splice 16 and thereafter the fastener maybe securely tightened against the shoulder. This particular constructionallows the clamp 60 to pivot about a point in groove 63 and effectivelyswing out of position as shown in phantom in FIG. 3. Thus, eithersection 10 or 12 can be removed from the splice without completelyremoving the clamping means or the clamping means can be loosened toallow longitudinal movement of the sections.

As stated above, the bracket means may take different forms. By way ofexample, it may be in the form of a wall bracket 70, shown in section inFIG. 2, or a ceiling bracket 72, shown in section in FIG. 5. Both wallbracket 70 and ceiling bracket 72 have a pair of rail engaging meansincluding downwardly extending legs and rearwardly extending flangessimilar to those described above for the splice 16 and the similar partsare illustrated with the same numbers followed by a prime Also, both theceiling bracket and wall bracket have a clamping means mounted in agroove 63' and the clamping means includes a clamp and a fastenersimilar to the clamp and fastener described for the splice and similarparts ar designated by the same numbers followed by the postscript primeIt is contemplated that the clamping means for the brackets need haveonly one fastener 62' and, consequently, only one opening 64 and 66 needbe provided. Ceiling bracket 72 has an opening 74 therein for passage ofa fastener 76 for mounting the bracket means on a horizontally disposedsurface, such as ceiling 82. Wall bracket 70 includes a verticallydisposed leg member 78 having openings 79 therein, through which maypass fasteners 76 for mounting the bracket means on a horizontallydisposed surface, such as wall 84.

It should be noted that, because of the advantageous construction of therod sections 10, 12, and 14, the brackets 70 and 72 and splice means aredisposed behind the front passageway and are substantially hiddenthereby. As a result, an attractive front face is all that is visiblewhen the drapery support is mounted. This is particularly advantageouswith the ceiling bracket 72 since the top of the front portion 23 of thetop wall 22 is substantially in the same plane as the top of bracket 72or splice 16. Thus, the front passageway is mounted closely adjacent theceiling when the elongate rod is engaged with the ceiling mountedbracket 72. It is contemplated that the elongate rod section 10 may beutilized alone or that the brackets may be used to mount several lengthsof rod spliced together, as by splice 16. The splice 16 conveniently hasa plurality of holes 81 therein, as shown in FIG. 1, which allows thesplice 16 to be utilized as a ceiling mount or bracket, if desired.

It is now deemed obvious that the present invention provides aparticularly advantageous and attractive drapery support where two ormore rod sections or members may be joined by a splice that is concealedbehind the face and front passageway of the rod and where mountingbrackets are similarly concealed. It can also be seen that the splicealigns the rods being joined to form a smooth front face andsubstantially aligned passageways and that the front passageway may bemounted closely adjacent to a ceiling surface.

While we have thus described a preferred embodiment of our invention,this has been done by way of illustration and not limitation, and we donot wish to be limited except as required by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A support for draperies and the like comprising first and secondendwise abutting rod sections having matching front faces and top wallsextending rearwardly from said front faces, each rod section havingspaced forward and rear rails extending substantially the full length ofsaid top Walls, each rail including an upwardly extending leg integralwith the respective top wall and a forwardly extending flange adjacentthe upper end thereof, splice means for holding the first and second rodsections in said abutted relationship and comprising an elongate bodyoverlying the top walls of said first and second rod sections at theabutted ends thereof, forward and rear rail engaging means spaced adistance generally equal to the spacing of said forward and rear railsand extending generally the full length of the body, each rail engagingmeans including a downwardly extending leg attached to the body and arearwardly extending flange adjacent the lower end thereof, first andsecond clamping means on the body engageable with the top walls adjacentthe rear edges thereof for urging the respective first and second rodsections forwardly with their rails engaging the rail engaging means.

2. A support for draperies and the like comprising first and secondelongate rod sections each having means defining a passageway extendinggenerally the full length thereof, said means including a top wallhaving a front portion overlying the passageway and a rear portiondisposed at a level below the top of the passageway and extendingrearwardly therefrom, a splice means for holding the first and secondrod sections abutted end to end and with their passageways generallyaligned, said splice means overlying only said rear portion of the topwall and having an upper surface disposed at a level approximating theupper level of said front portion of said top wall, rail means on therear portion of the top wall for engaging the splice means, and clampingmeans on the splice means for engaging said rear portion of the top walladjacent the rear edge thereof for holding the first and second rodsections with their rail means engaged to the splice means.

3. A support for draperies and the like comprising first and secondelongate rod sections each having means defining a passageway extendinggenerally the full length thereof and adapted for mounting adjacent ahorizontally disposed surface, said means including a top wall having afront portion overlying the passageway and a rear portion disposed at alevel below the top of the passageway and extending rearwardlytherefrom, forward and rear generally parallel rails extendingssubstantially the full length of each rod section, each rail includingan upwardly extending leg attached to said rear portion of the top walland a forwardly extending flange attached adjacent the upper end of theleg, each forwardly extending flange having its upper extremity at alevel below the upper lever of the front portion of the top wall, splicemeans for holding the first and second rod sections abutted end to endand with their passageways aligned, the splice means including a bodydisposed behind the passageway of each rod section and extending overonly the rear portion of the top wall, said body having a generally flatupper surface disposed at a level approximating the upper level of saidfront portion of the top wall and adapted for mounting adjacent thehorizontally disposed surface, said splice means including first andsecond rail engaging means spaced a distance generally equal to thespacing of the first and second rails and extending generally the fulllength of the body, each rail engaging means including a downwardlyextending leg attached to the body and a rearwardly extending flangeattached adjacent the lower end of the leg, and the splice meansincluding first and second clamping means on the body for holding therespective first and second rod sections with their rails contiguous tothe rail engaging means.

4. A support for draperies and the like comprising first and secondelongate rod sections abutted end to end and adapted for mountingadjacent a horizontally disposed surface, each rod section having afront passageway defined by a generally upright front wall and top andbottom walls attached thereto, the bottom wall having an upwardlyextending flange portion, the top wall having a front portion and adownwardly extending flange portion attached thereto, said flangeportions spaced from each other to define a rearwardly opening slotproviding access to the front passageway, the top wall of each rodsection having a rear portion attached to the downwardly extendingflange portion and extending rearwardly therefrom at a level below thefront portion, and a pair of parallel wall means attached to said rearportion and depending therefrom, said parallel wall means being spacedrearwardly from said slot and extending generally the full length ofeach rod section to define a rear passageway, at least one of said rodsections having at least one pulley rotatably supported between theparallel wall means, said rear portion of each top wall having first andsecond generally parallel rails extending generally the full lengththereof, each rail including an upwardly extending leg atttached to saidmember and a forwardly extending flange attached adjacent the upper endof the leg, splice means for holding the rod sections in said abuttedrelationship and with the passageways generally aligned, the splicemeans including a 'body disposed rearwardly of the front passageway andhaving an upper surface at a level approximating the top of said frontportion of the top wall, first and second rail engaging means spaced adistance generally equal to the spacing of the first and second rails,and each including a downwardly extending leg attached to the body and arearwardly extending flangeattached adjacent the lower end of the leg,and clamping means on the body for holding the first and second rodsections with their rails contiguous to the rail engaging means.

i 5. A support for draperies and the like comprising a first elongaterod section having a front passageway defined by a generally uprightfront wall and top and bottom walls attached thereto, the bottom wallhaving an upwardly extending flange portion and the top wall having afront portion and a downwardly extending flange portion attachedthereto, said flange portions spaced from each other to define arearwardly opening slot providing access to the front passageway, thetop wall having a rear portion attached to the downwardly extendingflange portion and extending rearwardly therefrom at a level below thefront portion, a pair of parallel wall means attached to said rearportion and depending therefrom, said parallel wall means being spacedrearwardly from said slot and extending generally the full length of therod section to define a rear passageway, first and second parallel railsmounted on the top of said rear portion and extending generally the fulllength thereof, each rail including an upwardly extending leg and aforwardly extending flange attached to the upper end of the leg;

a second elongate rod section having a front passageway defined byfront, top and bottom walls having a cross section generally identicalwith the walls of the first rod, the top wall having a downwardlyextending flange portion, and a rear portion attached thereto andextending rearwardly therefrom at a level below the front portion, apair of parallel wall means attached to said member and dependingtherefrom and having at least one pulley rotatably mounted therebetween,and first and second parallel rails mounted on the top of said memberand having a cross section generally identical with the rails of thefirst rod section;

splice means for holding the rod sections abutted end to end with theirfront passageways and first and second rails aligned, the splice meansincluding a body disposed rearwardly of the front passageway and havingan upper surface at a level approximating the top of the front portionof said top wall of each rod, first and second rail engaging meansspaced a distance generally equal to the spacing of the first and secondrails and each including a downwardly extending leg attached to the bodyand a rearwardly extending flange attached to the lower end of the leg,first and second clamping means on the body for holding the respectivefirst and second rod sections with their rails contiguous to the railengaging means; and

bracket means for mounting at least one of said rod sections on asupporting surface and having a generally horizontally disposed bodyhaving first and second rail engaging means havng a cross sectiongenerally identical with the first and second rail engaging means on thesplice means, clamping means for holding the rail engaging meanscontiguous to the rails of at least one of said rod sections, andfastening means for securing the bracket to the supporting surface.

6. A support for draperies and the like comprising an elongate roddisposed generally horizontally and bracket means for mounting said rodon a supporting surface, said rod having a front face and a top walldisposed rearwardly thereof, first and second rails spaced from eachother and extending generally the full length of the rod, each railincluding an upwardly extending leg attached to the top wall and aforwardly extending flange attached to the upper end of the leg, saidbracket means including a generally horizontally disposed body havingfirst and second rail engaging means spaced a distance generally equalto the spacing of said first and second rails, each rail engaging meansincluding a downwardly extending leg and a rearwardly extending flangeattached to the lower end of the leg, and clamping means on the body forholding the rail engaging means contiguous to the rails whereby the rodis supported by the bracket means.

7. A support for draperies and the like comprising an elongate roddisposed generally horizontally, and bracket means for mounting said rodon a supporting surface, said rod having a front face and a top walldisposed rearwardly thereof, first and second rails spaced from eachother and extending generally the full length of the rod, each railincluding an upwardly extending leg attached to the top wall and aforwardly extending flange attached to the upper end of the leg, saidbracket means including a generally horizontally disposed body havingfirst and second rail engaging means spaced a distance generally equalto the spacing of said first and second rails, each rail engaging meansincluding a downwardly extending leg and a rearwardly extending flangeattached to the lower end of the leg, said body extending rearwardlypast the rear edge of said top wall of the rod, and having a forwardlyfacing groove in its lower side and rearwardly of the rear of the topwall, a clamping member mounted in said groove and extending forwardlytherefrom for engaging the top wall adjacent its rear edge, andfastening means for holding said clamping member contiguous to the topwall and thereby urging the rod forwardly with the rails engaging therail engaging means.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said fastening means comprises athreaded shaft and a head larger than the shaft and attached thereto,and wherein said clamping member has an opening therein including afirst portion for passage of said head and a semicircular portionextending therefrom on the side adjacent said groove for passage of saidshaft, said first portion defining a head engaging shoulder adjacentsaid semicircular portion said shoulder located from the rear edge ofthe clamping member a distance approximating the distance from the backof said groove to the center of the threaded shaft, said fastening meansand clamping member so arranged that the clamping member may be insertedinto said groove after the fastening means is started and the headthereafter tightened against said shoulder.

9. A support for draperies and the like comprising an elongate roddisposed generally horizontally and having a front wall and a top wallextending rearwardly from the upper end of the front wall, said top Wallincluding a front portion and a rear portion disposed at a level belowsaid front portion, front and rear generally parallel rails extendingsubstantially the full length of the rod, each rail including anupwardly extending leg attached to the rear portion of the top wall anda forwardly extending flange at the upper end of the leg, each saidflange having its upper surface at a level below the upper level of thefront portion of the top wall; and bracket means for mounting said rodon a supporting surface and including a body portion having a front enddisposed rearwardly of the front portion of the top wall and an uppersurface at a level approximating the upper level of said front portion,engaging means on the underside of said body portion for engaging eachsaid front and rear rail, and clamping means mounted on the body forholding said engaging means contiguous to the rails whereby-the rod issupported by the bracket means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,060,489 10/1962 Blackmer 16-943,151,666 10/1964 Ford -346 3,273,197 9/1966 Ford 16-94- MARVIN A.CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SUPPORT FOR DRAPERIES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING FIRST AND SECONDENDWISE ABUTTING ROD SECTIONS HAVING MATCHING FRONT FACES AND TOP WALLSEXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID FRONT FACES, EACH ROD SECTION HAVINGSPACED FORWARD AND REAR RAILS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGHT OFSAID TOP WALLS, EACH RAIL INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING LEG INTEGRALWITH THE RESPECTIVE TOP WALL AND A FORWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ADJACENTTHE UPPER END THEREOF, SPLICE MEANS FOR HOLDING THE FIRST AND SECOND RODSECTIOND IN SAID ABUTTED RELATIONSHIP AND COMPRISING AN ELONGATE BODYOVERLYING THE TOP WALLS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROD SECTIONS AT THEABUTTED ENDS THEREOF, FORWARD AND REAR RAIL ENGAGING MEANS SPACED ADISTANCE GENERALLY EQUAL TO THE SPACING OF SAID FORWARD AND REAR RAILSAND EXTENDING GENERALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF THE BODY, EACH RAIL ENGAGINGGENERALLY THE A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LEG ATTACHED TO THE BODY AND AREARWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF, FIRST ANDSECTION CLAMPING MEANS ON THE BODY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOP WALLS DJACENTTHE REAR EDGES THEREOF FOR URGING THE RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND RODSECTIONS FORWARDLY WITH THEIR RAILS ENGAGING THE RAIL ENGAGING MEANS.